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China’s rocket start-ups push the envelope as IPOs gather pace
China is moving forward with the initial public offering (IPO) plans of four private rocket makers this month, as Beijing pushes to build up its commercial space industry amid intensifying competition with Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The Shanghai Stock Exchange has issued questions on LandSpace Technology’s IPO application, according to an update late on Thursday, advancing the company’s plan to raise 7.5 billion yuan (US$1…
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Indonesian litterbug weeps after first conviction under new Malaysian law
Two foreign nationals have become the first people in Malaysia to be charged under a new anti-littering law. Sultan Md, 28, a Bangladeshi, and Anita Lukman, 49, an Indonesian, were charged in the Sessions Court in Johor Bahru on Friday morning. Anita, an odd-job worker, pleaded guilty to throwing a cigarette butt and a drink bottle on the pavement on Jalan Ibrahim Sultan in Stulant Laut at 12.41am on January 1. The…
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Chinese coastguard rescues Filipino sailors near Scarborough Shoal
The Chinese navy and coastguard said on Friday that they rescued 17 Filipino crew members from a Singaporean-flagged cargo ship that had capsized near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. According to the China Coast Guard (CCG), the Maritime Search and Rescue Centre in Sansha, Hainan province, received a distress report at around 1.30am on Friday. The vessel appeared to be in trouble about 55 nautical miles…
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Malaysia’s parliament tightens access rules for media interviews, sparking criticisms
Malaysia’s parliament has introduced new media-centre rules that ban doorstop interviews without permission and restrict access to key premises where lawmakers typically brief reporters, fuelling fears of a narrowing media space. Under the guidelines, journalists “are not allowed” to conduct such interviews – also known as doorstepping – “without permission”, and may face written warnings and restrictions on access…
China’s analogue AI chip runs 12 times as fast on 1/200th the energy of digital rivals
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China’s analogue AI chip runs 12 times as fast on 1/200th the energy of digital rivals
A radically different kind of chip created by Chinese researchers can now handle real-world data tasks, potentially reshaping artificial intelligence systems’ reliance on power-hungry digital processors, its developers said. Building on work reported in October, the Peking University team’s ultra-fast, energy-efficient analogue chip has moved beyond solving basic mathematical problems and can now power applications such as personalised recommendation and image processing. In a paper published on...
Divers
China diving queen Quan Hongchan delights fans with new hairdo, shows she has ‘really grown up’
Mainland Chinese internet users were left in awe by the country’s Olympic champion, Quan Hongchan – not for her diving techniques this time, but for her new image, which prompted many to marvel that Quan has “really grown up.” On January 12, Quan shared multiple images of herself picking strawberries and tomatoes at a farm in her hometown of Zhanjiang, Guangdong province, as reported by the news outlet Red Star…
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South Korean brands drop campaigns with K-drama star Cha Eun-woo amid tax allegations
Multiple South Korean brands have pulled or quietly sidelined advertising campaigns featuring actor and K-pop star Cha Eun-woo amid allegations that he may have avoided 20 billion won (US$13 million) in taxes via a shell entity under his mother’s name. Banks and consumer brands including Shinhan Bank and skincare label Abib have set advertisements featuring Cha to private on their social media accounts, while…
Trump withdraws invitation to Canada’s Carney to join his Board of Peace
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Trump withdraws invitation to Canada’s Carney to join his Board of Peace
US President Donald Trump withdrew on Thursday an invitation for Canada to join his Board of Peace initiative aimed at resolving global conflicts. Trump’s about-face follows Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he openly decried powerful nations using economic integration as weapons and tariffs as leverage. “Please let this Letter serve to represent that the Board of Peace is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canada’s joining, what...
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Putin meets US envoys for midnight talks as Ukraine settlement hinges on key issue
Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the settlement in Ukraine with US President Donald Trump’s envoys during marathon overnight talks, and the Kremlin insisted that the territorial issue needs to be resolved to reach a peace deal. The Kremlin meeting, which lasted past 3am on Friday, came hours after Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky sharply criticised his European allies Thursday for what he cast as…
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China’s births plunge, Trump’s Greenland pledge in Davos: SCMP’s 7 highlights
We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Baby bust: China births plunge 17% in 2025 to historic low as population shrinks China’s birth count plummeted to a record low last year, falling by…
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What Beijing’s drone flight over Pratas Island means for its Taiwan strategy
The first confirmed deployment of a PLA drone within Taiwan’s claimed airspace is the latest example of Beijing’s “salami-slicing” strategy towards the self-ruled island, analysts say. One observer noted it was also meant to test, wear down and put pressure on Taiwan’s military. Taiwan’s defence ministry said on Saturday that a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) surveillance drone had entered its self-defined airspace –…
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Newsom, on world stage in Davos, accuses Trump of trying to suppress dissent
California Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday said he was not surprised the Trump administration blocked his appearance at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland the day before, saying it was another example of the US president trying to stifle dissent. “Is it surprising the Trump administration didn’t like my commentary and wanted to make sure that I was not allowed to speak? No,” said Newsom, who is weighing a…